(a) OFE may prohibit by order the use of petroleum or natural gas as a primary energy source or in amounts in excess of the minimum amount necessary to maintain reliability of operation consistent with maintaining reasonable fuel efficiency in an existing powerplant if the owner or operator of the powerplant certifies, and OFE concurs in such certification in accordance with the requirements of §§504.5, 504.6 and 504.8.

(b) Notice of order and participation.

(1) OFE may hold a conference with the proposed order recipient, at the recipient's election, prior to issuing the proposed order. The conference may resolve any questions regarding the certification required by section 301 of the Act, as amended, and §§504.5, 504.6, and 504.8, and OFE's review and concurrence therein.

(2) Pursuant to section 701(b) of FUA, prior to the issuance of a final order to a certifying powerplant owner or operator, OFE must publish in the Federal Register, a proposed prohibition order stating the reasons for such order. OFE will review all of the information submitted by a proposed order recipient within 60 days after receipt by OFE. If the certification is complete, OFE will, within 30 days after the end of the 60 day review period, publish in the Federal Register a Notice of Acceptance of certification together with a proposed prohibition order stating therein the reasons for such order. This commences the prohibition order proceeding. If OFE does not believe it is able to concur in the certification, OFE shall notify the proposed order recipient and shall publish a Notice of Proposed Non-Concurrence in the Federal Register within 30 days after the end of the 60 day review period. If OFE finds that the certification with compliance schedule is incomplete, OFE will notify the proposed prohibition order recipient as to the deficiencies, and provide an additional period of 30 days for the certification to be amended and resubmitted. If a complete certification is not submitted within this period, the proceeding shall be terminated in accordance with §501.52(b)(5). OFE will notify the proposed order recipient and other parties to the proceeding of the termination and publish a notice in the Federal Register. OFE, on its own motion, may extend any period of time by publishing a notice to that effect in the Federal Register.

(3) The publication of the Notice of Acceptance or Notice of Proposed Non-Concurrence commences a period of 45 days during which interested persons may submit written comments or request a public hearing. During this period, the recipient of the proposed order and any other interested person may submit any evidence that they have available relating to the proposed order, the certification or the concurrence that OFE must make. A proposed order recipient may submit additional new evidence at any time prior to the close of the public comment period which follows the commencement of the proceeding or prior to the close of the record of any public hearing, whichever occurs later. A request for an extension of the 45 day period may be granted at OFE's discretion. In the case of a Notice of Acceptance, as set forth in §504.9, no final prohibition order can be issued until any necessary environmental review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C 4321 et seq. (NEPA) has been completed. Upon completion of the NEPA review and unless OFE determines on the basis of the record of the proceeding that the certification fails to meet the requirements of §§504.5, 504.6, and 504.8, OFE shall publish a final prohibition order, together with the information required by paragraph (c) of this section. In the case of a Notice of Proposed Non-Concurrence, at the end of the 45 day comment period, OFE will notify the proposed order recipient and parties to the proceeding and publish a final Notice of Non-Concurrence in the Federal Register, if OFE determines it cannot concur in the certification based upon additional information submitted during the proceeding. If, at the end of the 45 day period, OFE believes it can concur in the certification, OFE will notify the proposed order recipient and parties to the proceeding and publish a Notice of Acceptance followed by a new 45 day comment period.

(4) If a hearing has been requested, OFE shall provide interested persons with an opportunity to present oral data, views and arguments at a public hearing held in accordance with subpart C of this part. The hearing may consider, among other matters, the sufficiency of the certification of the owner or operator of the powerplant required by section 301 of FUA, as amended, and §§504.5, 504.6, and 504.8 of these regulations.

(5) OFE may terminate a prohibition order proceeding at any time prior to the date upon which a final prohibition order is issued whenever OFE believes, from any information contained in the record of the proceeding, that the certification does not meet the requirements of section 301 of the Act, as amended, or §§504.5, 504.6, and 504.8 of these regulations. If OFE terminates the proceeding or publishes a final Notice of Non-Concurrence, or the proposed order recipient fails to submit a complete certification, OFE will notify the proposed order recipient and other parties to the proceeding and publish a notice in the Federal Register. In such event, the proposed order recipient may submit a new certification under any provision of section 301 of the Act, as amended, at a later date. Specifically, a Notice of Non-Concurrence under either section 301(b) or 301(c) shall not affect a proposed order recipient's ability to make a certification under the other subsection.

(c) Record and decision to issue a final order.

(1) OFE will base its determination to issue an order on consideration of the whole record or those parts thereof cited by a party and supported by and in accordance with reliable, probative and substantial evidence.

(2) OFE shall include in the final order a written statement of the basis upon which the final order is issued, and its concurrence in the required certification. A copy of the final order and a summary of the basis therefor will be published in the Federal Register. While the prohibition order is final for purposes of judicial review under section 702 of FUA, the prohibitions contained in the final order shall not become effective for purposes of amendment under section 301(d) of FUA, as amended, and §501.52(d) of these regulations until the effective date of the prohibitions stated in the order, or, where the order is subject to one or more conditions subsequent listed in the prohibition order compliance schedule, until all its conditions are met.

(d) Amendment to certifications under §§504.5 and 504.6. The proposed prohibition order recipient may amend its compliance schedule under §504.5(d), or its certification under section 301 of FUA, as amended, and §§504.5, 504.6 and 504.8 of these regulations in order to take into account changes in relevant facts and circumstances at any time prior to the effective date of the prohibitions contained in the final prohibition order.

(e) Rescission of prohibition orders. The rescission or modification of final prohibition orders issued to existing electric powerplants will be governed by the procedure in §501.101 of these regulations.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1903-0077)

(Department of Energy Organization Act, Pub. L. 95-91, 42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.; Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93-319, as amended by Pub. L. 94-163, Pub. L. 95-70, and Pub. L. 95-620, 15 U.S.C. 719 et seq.; Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95-620, as amended by Pub. L. 97-35, 42 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.; Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, (Pub. L. 97-35))

[47 FR 17042, Apr. 21, 1982]